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Related Concept Videos

Carrier Transport01:21

Carrier Transport

1.2K
The generation of electrical current in semiconductors is fundamentally driven by two mechanisms: drift and diffusion. These processes are essential for the functionality and performance of semiconductor-based devices.
Drift Current:
The drift of charge carriers is started by an external electric field (E). Charged particles, such as electrons and holes, experience an acceleration between collisions with lattice atoms. For electrons, this results in a drift velocity (vd) given by:
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Semiconductors01:22

Semiconductors

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There is variation in the electrical conductivity of materials - metals, semiconductors, and insulators that are showcased with the help of the energy band diagrams.
Metals such as copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), or lead (Pb) have low resistivity and feature conduction bands that are either not fully occupied or overlap with the valence band, making a bandgap non-existent. This allows electrons in the highest energy levels of the valence band to easily transition to the conduction band upon gaining...
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Carrier Generation and Recombination01:22

Carrier Generation and Recombination

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Carrier generation is the process by which electron-hole pairs (EHPs) are created within the semiconductor. In direct-bandgap semiconductors, such as gallium arsenide (GaAs), this occurs efficiently when energy absorption prompts valence electrons to leap into the conduction band, leaving behind holes.
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Indirect generation involves an...
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Metal-Semiconductor Junctions01:24

Metal-Semiconductor Junctions

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The contact of metal and semiconductor can lead to the formation of a junction with either Schottky or Ohmic behavior.
Schottky Barriers
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Biasing of Metal-Semiconductor Junctions01:27

Biasing of Metal-Semiconductor Junctions

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Biasing metal-semiconductor junctions involves applying a voltage across the junction. Specifically, the metal is connected to a voltage source, while the semiconductor is grounded. This technique is essential for controlling the direction and magnitude of current flow in electronic devices, including diodes, transistors, and photovoltaic cells.
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Updated: Apr 14, 2026

Excitonic Hamiltonians for Calculating Optical Absorption Spectra and Optoelectronic Properties of Molecular Aggregates and Solids
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Optically induced transport through semiconductor-based molecular electronics.

Guangqi Li1, Boris D Fainberg2, Tamar Seideman1

  • 1Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA.

The Journal of Chemical Physics
|April 24, 2015
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Photoinduced tunneling current through molecular bridges can be controlled by laser fields. This research introduces a quantum model where light creates new pathways for current, potentially acting as a molecular switch.

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Area of Science:

  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Quantum Chemistry
  • Molecular Electronics

Background:

  • Charge transport in molecular junctions is crucial for nanoelectronic devices.
  • Understanding photoinduced effects in molecular bridges is key to developing new functionalities.
  • Existing models often neglect non-Markovian effects and specific molecular structures.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate photoinduced tunneling current in molecular bridges using a tight-binding model.
  • To develop a quantum master equation within a non-Markovian framework.
  • To explore the role of laser fields in modulating charge transport through molecular systems.

Main Methods:

  • A tight-binding model for molecular bridges coupled to semiconductor electrodes.
  • A non-Markovian quantum master equation based on second-order perturbation theory.
  • Generation of spectral functions using a 1D alternating bond model.
  • Analysis of photon-induced virtual molecular states and new tunneling channels.

Main Results:

  • Inhibition of dark current due to molecular orbitals within the bandgap.
  • Laser-induced absorption and emission of photons create virtual states, opening new tunneling pathways.
  • Observation of memory effects in photoinduced tunneling phenomena.
  • Demonstration of light-controlled charge transport through molecular bridges.

Conclusions:

  • Laser irradiation can effectively control and enable charge carrier tunneling in molecular bridges.
  • The developed non-Markovian quantum model captures essential physics of photoinduced transport.
  • The observed memory phenomena suggest potential applications as molecular switches.